kandui

Let's meet , then I can explain to you how the process works. Anyone else interested in getting some background on the trails and why they were classified the way they are , can come along. Happy to organise an open discussion.

Free maps available at the permit booth and at the start.

R36 for a permit. Access from 6am. Last time I was there early, the office was closed. You can still ride though. Enjoy

http://www.tablemountainbikers.co.za/mountain-biking/facts-snakes-live-table-mountain/ This makes for some interesting reading and I thank Shawn Benjamin for taking the time to put this together. Very useful.

Sorry for jumping in so late , spending a few days away from the Mountain to recharge the batteries. PoS has got it spot on so far. Totally agree with the op sentiments. Signal Hill is the obvious choice to expand the trail network with Newlands Forest being totally off-limits. We stand a better chance of achieving success on SH. In my personal opinion, 2014 will be the year where a lot will happen. We have the best chance of success with trail sharing. Re-classifying an existing trail is the least bureaucratic process.I learnt quite a bit about internal processes at San Parks the other day. I am happy to have an informal meeting in the new year where we can throw ideas around , meet each other ( I think I know who some of you are, but not for sure) and I can give you my perspective on table mountain, front face and signal hill. If you're interested. Back in town on the 6th.

Thanks.

Whoever picked them up and decides to wear them will have to say they've done the Epic when asked.

thanks. I asked at the gate at about 2pm, but nothing handed in, except someone else's black Oakley sunglasses bag.

I got distracted while sorting out my music and earphones and rode off without my Oakleys on my face. When I realized it, I turned around and high tailed it back to the intersection where you turn left to Level 5 or go straight on to get to the Mast climb( if you come up the hill). Cobra and Mamba are meters away. Glasses were dangling on my handlebars and must have fallen to the ground as I set off. If anyone found them, saw them or knows someone who did, please let me know. White & Yellow frames. Made for the Cape Epic this year. Got sentimental value. 083 6319796

Caps selling like hotcakes. 49 of 150 caps left. If you want one, get your order in. R100/cap. Add R10 for postage.

I have table mountain bikers caps for sale. Had them made in Italy. R100 each. 0836319796

Mutton!

Email me to sort out details.

Cool. Get hold of me to sort out logistics.

I have just unpacked the Table Mountain Bikers vintage bike caps I had made in Italy. One size fits all. Sweatsafe and Subaru logo on the sides. The words Cape Town (small) on the back and TMB log on the front. The peak is black on top with Love it.Ride it.Respect it visible when you flip the peak up. R100 each for local collection. Add R10 for postage. I had 150 made and won't be repeating this design, if I print again. Orders: ride@tablemountainbikers.co.za I won't be checking this thread regularly, so please , if you want a cap, email me.

On a Cannondale with a Lefty now.

We'll done guys, appreciate the effort you make

Muggers generally come at you from behind. You'd need to have puffadder like reflexes to react, keep your balance as you're being pulled off the bike and grab your spray. You might be able to use the spray once you've been relieved of your bike and are involved in a stand-off with the muggers. What I would think is a far more effective weapon is a whistle. Sounds silly, but here's why. You get mugged and are unhurt and the muggers are exiting with your bike. Follow them at a safe distance (100m or so) in open terrain. When you get to a populated area or a road, use the whistle to draw attention to yourself and the muggers. Should the muggers see you following and make a run at you, you still have the 100m between you and can retreat. They are more interested in escaping with your bike than trying to get at you again. Rather than staying put at the scene of the incident, why not try and follow and keep track of where your bike is going.

Only 15% import duty on importation of a bike. Add 14% Vat on the duty amount too. No duty on importation of bike parts. you could break the bike down and ship in separate shipments. Also worth considering is that you can claim back the Vat paid in country of origin, if you can prove the exportation. I have bought bikes in Germany and claimed back 19% local Vat. Example: I once bought a full carbon, XT spec, full sus (26 inch in those days) in Germany. Original retail price was €5000. the shop had reduced it to make space for the next year's stock: €2400 (that's a proper discount). Take another 19% off and you're at €1944. The ROE was around 10:1, so the bike cost R19440. Equivalent local bikes were going for R45000-50000. There is still enough savings there to import legitimately. If anyone's interested in a shop that offers great deals, go to www.fun-corner.de

Booth Bikes. I think he is "carobon29er" or similar on the Hub.

Like I said, let's see what they say on Friday.

I spoke to the OP last week about his concerns around this piece of ST and asked for the meeting with San Parks so that he could raise his concerns directly. I am more interested in the San Parks response. Meurant Botha went and had a look at the trail last week and didn't think it was an overly difficult track. I agree with Meurant. We don't want to "dumb down" the little bits of single track we have . There is enough jeep track all over the mountain which is easy to ride. I doubt that San Parks will allow the construction of a B Line , but let's wait and see. They built this single track without informing anyone , so you never know. TMNP don't occupy Mount Pleasant, it's San Parks Provincial that have moved in there. The closure has been on the cards for a number of months and it was done to safeguard the equipment (computers) inside the offices. We knew the closure was coming, just not when. The single track was completed well before the closure of the gates. Let's look at the positive spin-off this little piece of track has brought. Without it we would not have been given permission to ride the single track lower down. Friday's meeting on site is at 12, if anyone has time to come along. I need to see what the OP finds difficult about it and how it is discouraging a certain segment of mountain bikers from riding in this area. The entry on the low side is steep, but how steep is the Plum Pudding climb from the Newlands side? Is it correct to say that the difficulty of 200m of single track is keeping riders off the mountain? Mmmm....OP needs to have a compelling argument. I can ride the piece no problem ,it is not a major challenge for me. I have encountered single track that I choose to portage over, but I don't ask for it to be made easier. I'd like to see skilled and unskilled riders come to the site visit to get a balanced perspective. OP felt that I had initially only received feedback from skilled riders who were happy with the track as it is. Not true, I had newbies telling me they liked the challenge of trying to master the track and it was fine as it is. San Parks are not trail builders,they did not go in there with the intention of spoiling anyone's fun. The built the trail with the best of intentions. I have no authority over the trails on the mountain, the final word belongs to San Parks.

Some teams club together and get their own mechanic who acts as driver, mechanic, errand boy, etc. 4 teams per mechanic is maximum. Same goes for Massage.

There's too much hype around how the Epic damages your bike. If you go into the event with your bike in good nick and you don't have some spectacular failure , you come out fine on the other end. Your bike gets taken from you at the finish of the stage and washed. Then it's taken to the bike park. There is a place for the mechanic package, but, you can also have the same experience without it. A mechanic at your beck & call is no guarantee for a better ride. For piece of mind it's good. I took the mechanic's package at my first Epic and Pioneer, but not in year 2,3 and 4. No regrets.

Epic is a little more intense than the Joburg2c, but the principle is the same. Convenience is great, but to pay R3500 and then have no issues, that's a waste of cash. Rule No.1: Make sure your bike is in excellent running order before the Epic. If anyone goes into the Epic with a bike that's not 100%, they are just plain stupid. No other way to put it. At the Pioneer 3 weeks ago, you might have heard how much stuff got wrecked, everyone was accommodated by the mechanics. How many walk-ins did they get? There is always a spot. As far as advice is concerned, I have plenty. But , do you want to hear all of it? What concerns do you have?